Cisco Cisco Energy Management for Data Centers Information Guide

Challenge 

Brunel University is a big, forward-looking university on the fringes of West London. 

For 43 years, it has sought “to combine academic rigour with the practical, 

entrepreneurial and imaginative approach” of its namesake – the brilliant 19th 

century British engineer, Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Brunel offers courses in 

business, engineering and design, information systems and computing; health 

sciences and social care, law, social science, sport and education, and the arts.  

It is known for excellence in both teaching practice and research.

The university has more than 1,000 full-time academic and professional staff and 

employs about half that number of part-timers. In the 2008-09 academic year, 

almost 15,000 students were enrolled for graduate and post-graduate courses – an 

increase of more than seven percent over the previous year – representing around 

100 nationalities. Now nearing completion of an ambitious £300 million redevelopment 

scheme, Brunel strives to offer courses tailored to the fast - changing social and 

business demands of the 21st century.

It has a similar agenda for its operational use of technology, having been an  

‘early adopter’ among UK universities of solutions designed to harness the potential 

of networked ICT. Brunel had numerous IP-based devices deployed across its 

campus by 2008; but rising energy costs, budgetary pressure and the growing 

importance of sustainability issues drove it to seek an innovative solution to measure, 

monitor and manage power consumption more effectively, using the network as a 

powerful platform to implement new energy-saving policies.

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Case Study

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Customer Name: 

Brunel University

Industry: 

Education Sector

Location: 

West London, UK

Number of Employees:

 

1,620

Challenge

• Employ IT infrastructure to measure, 

monitor and manage energy use

• Apply automated network policies to 

switch off PoE devices

• Establish foundation for full Cisco 

Building Energy Management solution

Solution

• Live implementation including  

IP phones and WLAN in  

campus buildings

• Test-bed installation to verify impacts 

of varying energy use scenarios

• Collaboration with Cisco and partners 

to refine key system components

Results

• Typical cost reduction including PCs 

and printers is £90,000 a year

• Successful application of policies 

shows larger savings to come

• Ensures compliance with new 

imperatives for improved sustainability